Method and apparatus for making an elongate spindle member of chain links for transfer of pressure and tensile loads

ABSTRACT

An elongate spindle member having rigidity and stability against pressure and tensile loads as well as bending and torsional loads is made by winding-up a plurality of mutually interlocking chain links ( 1, 12 ), during axial advancement of the chain links, into a helical winding ( 5, 16 ) by a winding guide ( 14 ). The elongate spindle member, formed by the helical winding, extends between two objects, one of which is connected with the winding guide ( 14 ). The first turn of the helical winding is connected with a coupling member for connection with the other of the two objects. The helical winding is formed by drivingly connecting the chain links to a rotatable driving device in the winding guide and retaining each chain link in engagement with neighboring links in the same turn as well as adjacent chain links in neighboring turns.

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

A method and an apparatus for transfer of pressure and/or tensile load.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for transferof pressure and/or tensile load between two objects.

According to the invention a transfer of pressure and/or tensile andpossibly torque loads between two mutually movable objects is provided,which is suitably applicable for a number of practical purposes andbased on hitherto unknown mechanical principles. Non-exhaustive examplesof fields of use aimed at by the invention may be raising/loweringdevices for mutually height displaceable objects, for instance jacks ormotor-operated lifting devices of any kind, and operator mechanisms forthe opening and closing of windows, doors and gates.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that anelongate spindle member with high rigidity and stability againstpressure and/or tensile load as well as bending and torsional load isprovided by winding-up of mutually interlocking chain links under axialdisplacement in a helical winding by means of a winding guide meansconnected with one of said two objects and a driving device, a couplingmember being provided for connection of the helical winding with theother of said two objects, each chain link being retained in engagementwith neighbouring links in the same turn as well as adjacent chain linksin neighbouring turns.

The method according to the invention comprises the steps of

winding-up of a plurality of mutually interlocking chain links underaxial displacement in a helical winding to form said elongate spindlemember,

using chain links formed with a substantially circular curvature ontheir exterior sides and including associated engagement means,

drivingly connecting said chain links to a rotatable driving devicearranged in a winding guide means connected with one of said twoobjects,

guiding said chain links during rotation of said driving device in saidwinding guide means so that the chain links are interconnected andretained in engagement by their associated engagement means withneighboring chain links in the same turn as well. as adjacent chainlinks in neighboring turns of said elongate spindle member, and

coupling the helical winding with the other of said two objects by meansof a coupling member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention areversibly rotatable driving device is used, said device increasing byrotation in one direction of rotation the length of the spindle deviceduring winding of the chain links in said helical winding and reduces byrotation in the opposite direction of rotation the length of the spindledevice during unwinding of the chain links from said helical winding.

Further embodiments of the method and non-exhaustive examples of itsapplication are also described herein.

For carrying out the method the apparatus according to the invention ischaracterized in comprising, in connection with one of said two objects,a chain storage with an elongate chain of interlocking chain links, aguide means for advancing the elongate chain, and a winding guide meansconnected with the advancing guide means for winding said helicalwinding and comprising a guide for engagement with a guide member on thechain links, whereas a coupling member is provided for connection ofsaid helical winding with the other of said two objects, a driving meansbeing provided for axial advancement of the spindle device produced bythe helical winding.

Advantageous embodiments of the apparatus and its individual componentsas well as non-exhaustive examples of use are described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in the following by means of anembodiment and with reference to the partly schematic drawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic, exploded, perspective view illustrating theprinciple of the method according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic, perspective view, with parts in section,illustrating the principle of the method according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the front, top and right side of afirst embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the rear, top and right side of theembodiment of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows and embodiment of the apparatus with integrated chainstorage,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a winding guide means in the apparatusof FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a drive means in the apparatus of FIGS.3 and 4,

FIG. 8 is a first perspective view from the front and top of anembodiment of a chain link for use in the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view from the front, top and right side of anembodiment of a chain link for use in the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view from the rear, bottom and right side of anembodiment of a chain link for use in the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 11 is a perspective view from the front, bottom and left side of anembodiment of a chain link for use in the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 12 is a second perspective view from the front and top of anembodiment of a chain link for use in the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a first winding of interlocking chainlinks of the present invention connected to a coupling member.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the winding up of theinterlocking chain links in a helical winding under mutual retainment,

FIG. 15 is a schematical perspective view of a first alternativeembodiment, in which two spindle members of equal diameter are formed byindividual helical windings produced from individual sets of chainlinks,

FIG. 16 is a schematical sectional view of a second alternativeembodiment, in which two spindle members of different diameter areformed by individual helical windings produced from individual sets ofchain links and extending one inside the other,

FIG. 17 is a schematical perspective view of an alternative embodiment,in which a single spindle device is formed from two individual sets ofchain links, and

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the application of the embodiment shownin FIG. 15 in a window operator device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As will appear from FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention resides in its broadestaspect in that chain links 1, which are mutually interlocked into anelongate chain 2, are wound into a helical winding 5 under mutualretainment by means of a drive means comprising an advancing wheel 3 inconnection with a drive wheel 4 which may be connected via atransmission with a preferably reversibly rotatable drive motor (notshown), and by use of advancing and winding guide means.

The wound up helical winding thereby forms a spindle device of variablelength and considerable rigidity and stability against pressure,tensile, bending and torsional loads.

The winding up of the chain links 1 in the helical winding 5 takes placeduring rotation of the drive wheel 4 in one direction of rotation, thelength of the spindle device being increased under axial advancement andsimultaneous rotation of the helical winding. If the direction ofrotation of the drive wheel 4 is reversed, the chain links 1 will againbecome unwound from the helical winding 5 and the spindle device formedthereby will be shortened.

When carrying out the method, a chain storage (not shown in FIGS. 1 and2) will be provided, together with advancing and winding guide means(not shown) and the driving device in connection with one of the twoobjects, between which a power transfer is wanted, preferably astationary first object, while a second object movable relative theretomay be connected, as shown in the intersected view in FIG. 2, with thespindle device 5 by means of a coupling member 6, which at the start ofthe winding up of the chain links 1 is connected with the turn 7 firstformed in the helical winding 5.

As will likewise appear from FIG. 2, the spindle device formed by thehelical winding 5 will for many practical uses be protected by asurrounding, elongate cover member of variable length, for instance abellow 8.

Based on the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of an apparatus accordingto the invention examples of the design of the individual components ofthe apparatus will be explained in the following.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mutually interlocked chainlinks 12 are advanced in an elongate chain 11 from a chain storage (notshown) by means of a substantially linear advancing guide member 13towards a winding guide member 14, in which the drive means with thedrive wheel 15 and the advancing wheel (not shown) are journalled bymeans of bearing means (not shown).

By clockwise rotation of the drive wheel 15, the chain links 12 arewound, guided by the winding guide means 14, in the helical winding 16,in which the chain links 12 are positioned in closely packed turns 17under mutual retainment, such that the wound up chain links areprevented from mutual displacement in the helical winding.

In the winding guide means 14, the chain links 12 first arriving arebrought into engagement with a coupling member 18 shown in FIG. 3. Whilethe advancing guide means 13, the winding guide means 14 and the drivemeans with the drive wheel 15 are placed in connection with one of thetwo objects, between which pressure and/or tensile as well as torqueloads are to be transferred by means of the apparatus, the couplingmember 18 serves for connecting the spindle device 16 with the other ofthe two objects. The drive means may alternatively, together with thecoupling member, be positioned in connection with the second object.

FIG. 5 shows, in a schematic plane view, how the winding up guide means14 and the advancing guide means 13 may be integrated in a commonhousing 9 with a chain storage in the shape of a track 10, in which theelongate chain 11 is received in its entire length.

The advancing guide means 13 is in the embodiment shown designed as alinear rail member with a bottom surface 19 forming an elongateadvancing guide surface for a convex exterior side of the interlockedchain links 12, and a superjacent guide rail 20 which by engagement withengagement means at a concave interior side of the chain links 12 guidesthem safely towards the winding up guide means 14.

The winding up guide means 14 is in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6formed with a substantially part-cylindrical wall 21, on the interiorside of which a winding guide is formed by a thread-rib 22, which in theembodiment shown extends with a predetermined pitch across slightly morethan 360° of the interior periphery of the wall 21. At one end 23 of thethread-rib 22, the interior side of the part-cylindrical wall 21 joinsin a tangential plane in an extension 24 of the advancing guide surface19. An advancing guide means 25 in the form of a protruding member forengagement with a track in the exterior side of the chain links 12 isconnected with the advancing guide surface 24. This will be explained indetail in the following.

In the embodiment of the drive means shown in FIG. 7, the drive means 15is connected with an advancing wheel 26 which is provided, in aperipheral surface, with a number of oblique teeth with a predeterminedpitch directed oppositely to the pitch of the threaded groove 22 on theinterior side of the cylindrical wall 21 in the winding guide means 14.As will be explained in detail in the following, the advancing wheel 26with the teeth 27 engages, during winding up of the chain links 12, ahelical track in the interior side of the chain links 12 and therebybrings about an axial advancement of the helical winding provided duringwinding-up under simultaneous rotation of the helical winding about itsaxis.

As will be seen from the projected view in FIG. 12, the individual chainlinks 12 have, in an unfolded projection, substantially the shape of aparallelogram with a first pair of opposite sides 28 and 29 and a secondpair of opposite sides 30 and 31.

As more clearly seen in FIGS. 8–11 the chain links 12 have asubstantially circular curvature with a convex exterior side 32 and aconcave interior side 33 such that, when wound up, the chain links 12form the substantially circular-cylindrical helical winding 16. Toprevent joints between chain links 12 in the individual turns 17 in thehelical winding 16 from being positioned diametrally opposite oneanother, the chains 12 have a length differing from an even circlefraction, preferably with an odd number of chain links 12 in each turndepending on the desired dimensions of the helical winding made. Inpractice, 5 chain links per turn have proved suitable for many purposes,such as will be most clearly seen from FIGS. 5 and 14.

For engagement with the winding guide in the winding guide means 14formed by the thread-rib 22, a substantially linear track 34 is providedas a guide member in the convex exterior side 32 of each chain link,said track forming with the first pair of opposite sides 28 and 29 anangle v determined by the pitch angle of the thread-rib 22 relative tothe axis of the part-cylindrical wall 21 of the winding guide means 14.

For engagement with the member 25 protruding as an advancing guidemember from the extension 24 of the advancing guide surface, each chainlink 12 comprises in the convex exterior side 32 as a second guidemember a track 35 with two axially displaced track portions 35 a and 35b which in each of a first pair of opposite sides 28 and 29 of the chainlink 12 end in track orifices 36, 37 displaced in a direction parallelwith the sides 28, 29. This design of the track brings each chain link12 from the advancing guide surface 19, 24 into the winding guide means14 with an axial displacement component and the orifice 38 of the track34 at the downstream side 28 in the advancing direction, will beorientated against and aligned with the inlet end 23 of the thread-rib22.

For engagement with the oblique teeth 27 on the advancing wheel 26 inthe embodiment shown, a helical track 39 is provided in the concaveinterior side 33 of each chain link, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, saidtrack being in the embodiment shown oriented substantially diagonallybetween track orifices 40 and 41 in each of the second pair of oppositesides 30 and 31. This form of the track has the effect that in theinterior side of the wound up helical winding, a number of continuous,coherent helical tracks 42 is formed for engagement with each theirs ofthe corresponding number of oblique teeth 27 on the advancing wheel 26.If the drive means is alternatively connected with the coupling member18, the interior tracks 39 may be dispensed with. Thereby, the chainlinks may ultimately be formed so as to substantially close the internalcavity of the spindle device to improve the rigidity and stabilitythereof.

For retaining the individual chain links 12 in their mutual positions inthe turn 17 of the helical winding 16, each chain link 12 is providedwith various pairs of co-operating engagement means.

Thus, a first pair of co-operating engagement means for connecting eachchain link 12 with its neighbouring chain links comprises a curved track43 and a hook-shaped hinge member 44 at each of the first pair ofopposite sides 28 and 29 of the chain link. The shape of the track 43and the hinge member received therein are adapted to one another and thetrack 43 has a depth, such that, in the wound up helical winding 16, thehinge member is pushed completely into the groove 43, as shown in FIG.14.

A second pair of co-operating engagement means comprises a fork member45 provided in the interior wall 46 of the curved track 43 and a ribmember 47 provided at the interior side of the hook-shaped hinge member44. By the engagement of the fork and rib members 45 and 47 with a ribmember 47 and a fork member 45, respectively, on each of neighbouringchain links in the same turn, neighbouring chain links in the same turn17 are prevented from mutual displacement in the axial direction of thehelical winding produced.

On the interior side of the hook-shaped hinge member 44 abutmentsurfaces 48 for the branches 45 a of the fork member 45 are furtherprovided. Through the abutment of the fork branches 45 a against thesurfaces 48, the winding movement of the chain link 12 is stopped, suchthat neighbouring chain links in the same turn 17 are retained in theirmutual angular position, which is determined by the number of chainlinks in the turn.

As shown in FIG. 3 the fork member 45 further serves as engagementmember for the guide rail 20 in the advancing guide means 13.

As will appear from FIGS. 10, 11 and 14 the fork and rib members 45 and47 on each chain link 12 are further axially displaced relative to oneanother. Hereby is attained that the curved track 43 in the entranceside 28 of each chain link at the winding in the helical winding, inaddition to maintaining its engagement with the hook-shaped hinge member44 on the previously introduced chain link 12, is brought intooverlapping engagement with the hook-shaped hinge member 44 on the chainlink in the turn formed immediately prior thereto in the helical winding16, which is adjacent to this previously introduced chain link. Thisengagement has the effect that neighbouring turns 17 in the helicalwinding 16 are retained against mutual displacement in a planeperpendicular to the axial direction.

Finally, each of the chain links 12 is provided, at each of the secondpair of opposite sides 30 and 31, with further engagement means whichcomprise a track 49 in the convex exterior side 32 of the chain link anda rib member 50 along one and the other side 30 and 31, respectively. Byengagement of the track 49 and the rib member 50 with correspondingengagement means on adjacent chain links in neighbouring turns isensured, by the winding-up of the chain links 12 in the helical winding,that chain links in neighbouring turns positioned side by side aresecured in mutual engagement.

The coupling member 18, with which the winding 17 first formed in thehelical winding 16 is connected during the winding up of the chain link12, is in the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 designed as a substantiallydisc-shaped cover member with a substantially circular-cylindrical edgesurface 51, in which a track 52 is provided as a guide member forengaging the thread-rib 22 in the winding guide means 14, said trackbeing substantially identical to the track 34 in the convex exteriorside 32 of each chain link.

On the side surface 53 facing the helical winding 16, the couplingmember 18 is provided with a number of protruding engagement means 54corresponding to the number of chain links 12 in each turn of thehelical winding 16, the height of said protruding engagement means 54from side surface 53 increasing in accordance with the pitch of thewound up helical winding 16.

As the chain links 12, as mentioned above, are introduced in the windingguide means 14 with the side 28 with the curved track 43 in front andthe side 31 with the rib member 50 facing outwards towards the couplingmember 18, each of the engagement means 54 is provided with ahook-shaped hinge member 55 corresponding to the hook-shaped hingemember 44 on each chain link 12 and with an engagement track 56 forengagement with the rib member 50 on a chain link in the turn firstformed.

By providing the chain links 12 and the coupling member 18 with thedescribed co-operating engagement means, the chain links 12 will besafely secured and locked relative to each other in the wound up helicalwinding 16, which then together with the coupling member 18 provides aspindle device having considerable rigidity and high stability towardspressure and tensional load as well as towards bending, torsional andtorque loads.

In FIG. 15 an embodiment of the method an apparatus of the invention isillustrated, by which two spindle devices 57 and 58 are formed in linearextension of each other by winding-up chain links 59 and 60,respectively, from individual chains in separate helical windings havingthe same diameter. By provision of individual advancing guide means andwinding guide means for the two spindle devices 57 and 58 at one and theother of the two objects to be interconnected, the chain storage neededto produce a given maximum length of the total spindle device may beevenly distributed between the two objects.

In each helical winding the first produced turn 61 and 62, respectively,is connected with a coupling member 63 and 64, respectively, whichcoupling members are connected with each other intermediate the twoobjects, which are not shown in FIG. 15.

The pitch direction of the helical windings of the two spindle devices57 and 58 are opposite as illustrated by arrows 65 and 66, respectively,so that for the two opposite directions of revolution the length of bothspindle devices 57 and 58 will either increase or decrease at the sametime.

FIG. 16 shows another alternative embodiment, in which one spindledevice 67 of two individual spindle devices 67 and 68 having oppositepitch directions to function in the same way as escribed above, isformed is formed with an external threading 69 engaging an internalthreading 70 formed by the helical track in the interior side of thechain links of the other spindle device 68.

Also in this case, the advancing and winding guide means 71 and 72,respectively, for the helical windings of spindle devices 67 and 68 areprovided at one and the other of the two objects 73 and 74 constitutinge.g. main frame and sash members of an openable window, respectively,whereas each of spindle devices 67 and 68 functions as a coupling memberfor the other spindle device, so that separate coupling members for thefirst produced turn of each spindle device are dispensed with. By thesimultaneous winding-up of the two spindle devices 67 and 68 from oneand the other of the two objects, the spindle device 67 will simplygradually be screwed into the spindle device 68.

By this arrangement the rigidity and stability of the overall spindleresulting from the combination of the individual spindle devices 67 and68 is further increased.

FIG. 17 shows a further alternative embodiment, in which a singlespindle device 75 is formed by winding-up two separate individual setsof chain links 76 an 77 in alternating turns of the helical winding. Thetwo chains comprising links 76 and 77, respectively, are advancedtowards a common winding guide means (not shown) of the same principalconstruction as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so as to enter the partcylindrical wall of the winding guide means at two points that arepreferably diametrically opposite to each other. Compared to theembodiments described hereinbefore the winding guide means must have aninternal threaded rib for each of the separate sets of chain links 76and 77, each of said threaded ribs having a pitch and the form of theexternal tracks in the chain links corresponding to tracks 34 and 35 iFIGS. 8 and 9 being dimensioned to impart an axial displacementcomponent to the chain links entering the winding guide means sufficientto allow the winding-up of chain links 72 and 73 in alternating turns.

By this alternating turn design of the spindle device the chain supplyneeded to produce a spindle device of a given length can be divided intotwo separate chains arranged on either side of the winding guide means.By use of the apparatus in a window operator this design will facilitatearrangement of the operator housing including the winding guide means inthe middle of a main frame or sash member.

FIG. 18 shows an example of application of the embodiment schematicallyillustrated in FIG. 15 in an operator device for a window having a mainframe 78 and an openable sash 79, which are pivotally connected witheach other by hinge means (not illustrated) provided at opposed bottommembers 80 and 81 of the main frame and sash structures. Operatorhousings 82 and 83 arranged on opposed top members 84 and 85 of the mainframe and sash structures accommodate a chain storage with associatedadvancing guide means, winding guide means and drive means for thewinding-up of chain links from each chain in the helical windingsforming the two spindle devices 57 and 58, which are connected end byend by means of the coupling members 63 and 64.

It is within the scope of the invention possible to design theindividual components of the apparatus in other ways. The number ofchain links in each turn in the helical winding will thus depend on thedimensions of the spindle device suitable for the purpose in question.The coupling member connecting the spindle device with the second one ofthe two objects to be connected, may be connected with the helicalwinding in other ways, for instance as shown in FIG. 2 with a bushingmember, fastened in the interior of the helical winding. Also the chainlinks may be designed in other ways, provided the functional conditionsin respect of winding, axial advancement in the helical winding andmutual securing be met, the object of said conditions being to preventrelative movement between the individual chain links and betweenindividual turns in the helical winding.

1. A method of making at least one elongate spindle member havingrigidity and stability against pressure and tensile loads as well asbending and torsional loads, whereby said spindle member acts betweentwo objects, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of mutuallyinterlocking chain links (1, 12), said chain links each being formedwith a substantially circular curvature on an exterior side thereof andincluding associated engagement means for mutual interlocking of thechain links, drivingly connecting said chain links to a rotatabledriving device (3,4;15,26) arranged in at least one winding guide (14)connected with one of said two objects, operating said driving device torotate said chain links in said winding guide, said winding guideguiding said chain links to form at least one helical winding (5, 16)which forms said elongate spindle member and advancing said spindlemember along a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein each of the chainlinks in said elongate spindle member is interconnected and retained inengagement by its associated engagement means with at least oneneighboring chain link of said plurality of chain links in the same turnof said elongate spindle member as well as an adjacent chain link ofsaid plurality of chain links in at least one neighboring turn of saidelongate spindle member, and coupling the helical winding with the otherof said two objects by a coupling member (6,18).
 2. A method accordingto claim 1, characterized by using a reversibly rotatable driving device(3,4; 15, 26) as said driving device to increase and reduce the lengthof the spindle member by rotation of said reversibly rotatable drivingdevice in one and the other direction of rotation, respectively.
 3. Amethod according to claim 2, characterized in that said coupling member(6, 18) is connected with the first produced turn of the helicalwinding.
 4. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the stepsof forming an additional elongate spindle member concurrently with saidat least one spindle member by using an additional plurality of chainlinks and an additional winding guide for guiding said additionalplurality of chain links to form an additional helical winding having apitch direction opposite to a pitch direction of said at least onehelical winding, said additional winding guide being connected with theother of said two objects.
 5. A method according to claim 4,characterized in that the two helical windings (57, 58) have the samediameter, said additional helical winding includes an additionalcoupling member, and said coupling members (63, 64) are connected witheach other intermediate said two objects.
 6. A method according to claim4, characterized in that one of said helical windings (67) is advancedinside the other of said helical windings (68) and said chain links ofsaid one of said helical windings are provided with external threading(69) to engage internal threading (70) in the chain links of the otherhelical winding.
 7. A method according to claim 2, characterized in thatsaid spindle member is formed by winding said plurality of mutuallyinterlocking chain links (76, 77) with an additional plurality ofinterlocking chain links in alternating turns in said winding guide. 8.A method according to claim 2, characterized by using the elongatespindle member to displace the two objects with respect to each other.9. A method according to claim 2, wherein said two objects areconstituted by a stationary frame structure and an openable sashstructure and said method further comprises using said elongate spindlemember to move said sash structure with respect to said frame structure.10. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1,comprising, in connection with said one of said two objects, a chainstorage (10) having an elongate chain (11) made of said plurality ofmutually interlocking chain links (12) and having a guide means (13) foradvancing the elongate chain (11) from said chain storage (10) to saidat least one winding guide (14), the at least one winding guidecomprising a guide element (22) which engages a guide member (34) oneach of the chain links to wind said at least one helical winding (16),said rotatable driving device (3, 4; 15, 26) being rotatably arranged insaid winding guide (14) for axial advancement of the spindle memberproduced by the at least one helical winding (5) and the coupling member(6,18).
 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in thatsaid coupling member (6,18) is connected with an end turn of the helicalwinding.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in thatsaid coupling member (18) comprises a substantially disc-shaped covermember with a substantially circular edge surface (51) in which a guidemember (52) is provided for engagement with said guide element (22) inthe winding guide (14), and the cover member is provided, on one sidesurface (53), with protruding engagement elements (54) for engagementwith respective ones of said chain links (12) in the end turn (17) ofthe helical winding (16).
 13. An apparatus according to claim 12,characterized in that said guide member in the edge surface (51) of thecover member comprises a track (52) for receiving said guide element(22) in the winding guide.
 14. An apparatus according to claim 12,characterized in that said protruding engagement elements (54) comprisehook members (55).
 15. An apparatus according to claim 12, characterizedin that said protruding engagement elements each (54) comprise a groove(56).
 16. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising anadditional helical winding including an additional coupling memberwherein the two helical windings (57, 58) have the same diameter andthat said coupling members (63, 64) are connected with each otherintermediate said two objects.
 17. An apparatus according to claim 10,characterized in that the chain storage (10) comprises an elongate trackconnected with the advancing guide means (13), the elongate track forreceiving the entire length of the chain (11).
 18. An apparatusaccording to claim 10, characterized in that the winding guide (14)comprises a substantially part-cylindrical wall (21) having an interiorsupporting said guide element (22).
 19. An apparatus according to claim18, characterized in that the driving device comprises an advancingwheel (26) including peripheral surface with a number of oblique teeth(27) having a predetermined pitch directed opposite to a pitch of saidguide element (22), said advancing wheel being journalled coaxially inthe winding guide (14) for engagement with the chain links (12) andbeing connected with a drive wheel (15).
 20. An apparatus according toclaim 18, characterized in that said guide element comprises at leastone thread-rib (22) having a predetermined pitch across part of theinterior of said part-cylindrical wall (21).
 21. An apparatus accordingto claim 20, characterized in that the advancing guide means (13)comprises a substantially linear guide rail (20) for controlledadvancement of the chain links (12) towards the winding guide and aguide surface (19,24) connected substantially in a tangential plane withthe interior of the part cylindrical wall (21) of the winding guide,said guide surface (19, 24) having at least one advancing guide member(25).
 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that theadvancing guide member (25) comprises a member protruding from the guidesurface (24) for introducing each said chain link (12) into the windingguide (14) while axially displacing each said chain link with respect tosaid winding guide.
 23. An apparatus according to claim 22, furthercomprising an additional helical winding wherein one of said helicalwindings (67) is advanced inside the other of said helical windings (68)and said chain links of said one of said helical windings are providedwith external threading (69) to engage internal threading (70) providedin chain links of the other helical winding (68).
 24. An apparatusaccording to claim 10, characterized in that said helical winding (75)is formed by winding said chain links (76,77) in alternating turns withadditional chain links.
 25. An apparatus according to claim 12,characterized in that an additional a chain storage, an advancing guideand an additional winding guide are provided in connection with theother of said two objects for producing an additional elongate spindlemember (57,58; 67, 68).
 26. An apparatus according to claim 12,characterized in that the helical winding (5) is surrounded by avariable length casing (8).
 27. An apparatus according to claim 12,characterized in that said casing is a bellows.
 28. An apparatusaccording to claim 10 wherein each said chain link (12) has asubstantially parallelogram shape with said engagement means comprisinga first pair of engagement means (43, 44) for connection with at leastone of said neighboring chain links in the same turn of the helicalwinding provided at a first pair of opposite sides (28, 29) thereof anda second pair of engagement means (49, 50) for engagement with acorresponding pair of said second pair of engagement means on one ofsaid adjacent chain links at least one neighboring turn of the helicalwinding provided at a second pair of opposite sides (30, 31) thereof.29. An apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that each saidguide member comprises a track (34) adapted to receive said guideelement (22) in the winding guide.
 30. An apparatus according to claim29, characterized in that an interior side (33) of each chain link (12)is formed with engagement means (45) for engagement with a substantiallylinear guide rail (20) in the advancing guide means (13) and saidexterior side of each chain link (12) is provided with a second guidemember (35) for introducing the chain links (12) into the winding guide(14).
 31. An apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that eachsaid second guide member (35) comprises a second track provided in saidexterior side and ending in said first pair of opposite sides (28, 29)with track orifices (36,37).
 32. An apparatus according to claim 30,characterized in that said guide rail engagement means (45) comprisesone of a third pair of engagement means (45, 47) of each said chainlink, each of said third pair of engagement means provided at said firstpair of opposite sides (28, 29) of each said chain link.
 33. Anapparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that said one of saidthird pair of engagement means for each chain link (12) comprises a forkmember (45) provided at a free edge of a wall portion defining one ofsaid first pair of engagement means which comprises a curved track (43),said fork member for engagement, on one hand, with said guide rail (20)in the advancing guide means (13) and, on the other hand, with the otherone of said third pair of engagement means on said neighboring chainlink, each said other one of said third pair of engagement meanscomprising a rib member (47) provided in an interior side of the otherone of said first pair of engagement means which comprises a hook-shapedhinge member (44), said fork and rib members (45, 47) preventingrelative displacement of said neighboring chain links in the same turnin the axial direction of the helical winding when engaged, each said byhook-shaped hinge member (44) being provided, on each side of arespective one of said rib members (47), with abutment surfaces (48 a,48 b) serving as stops for branches (45 a) of a respective one of saidfork members (45) for retaining said neighboring chain links in apredetermined angular position in said turn.
 34. An apparatus accordingto claim 33, characterized in that said fork and rib members (45, 47)are positioned in such a way relative to one another that said curvedtracks (43) of said chain links (12) are brought into engagement withsaid hook-shaped hinge members (44) of said chain links positioned inthe same turn and the neighboring turn.
 35. An apparatus according toclaim 28, characterized in that a guide member (39) is formed in aninterior side (33) of each chain link (12), each said guide member (39)comprising a helical track for engagement with oblique teeth (27) of anadvancing wheel (26) of said driving device.
 36. An apparatus accordingto claim 28, characterized in that the chain links (12) are molded froma plastics material.
 37. An apparatus according to claim 28,characterized in that each chain link (12) has a length different froman even fraction of a circle having the radius of said helical winding.38. An apparatus according to claim 37, characterized in that the lengthof each chain link (12) constitutes an odd fraction of said circle. 39.An apparatus according to claim 38, characterized in that the length ofeach chain link (12) constitutes a fifth of a peripheral length of aninterior wall of the winding guide (14).
 40. An apparatus according toclaim 28, characterized in that said second pair of engagement meanscomprises a track (49) in the exterior side (32) of each of the chainlinks (12) and a rib member (50) along one of said second pair ofopposite sides (30, 31) of each of said chain links, said rib members(50) being adapted to engage a groove (56) on said coupling member (18).41. An apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that the firstpair of engagement means for each chain link (12) comprises ahook-shaped hinge member (44) and a curved track (43) , said curvedtracks (43) being adapted to receive a hook member (55) of said couplingmember (18).
 42. An apparatus according to claim 28, characterized inthat the chain links (12) are made as cast or sintered metal bodies. 43.A device for relative displacement of two objects with respect to eachother comprising the apparatus according to claim
 10. 44. An operatordevice for opening and closing a window comprising the apparatusaccording to claim 10.